Useful kitchen gadget? Or amazing amuser of small children?

When I was a tender little squirt my grandmother had the most amazing toy ever conceived. I could entertain myself for hours with it, folding and unfolding its shiny perforated petals. But to this day I don't ever recall her actually USING her steamer basket!

So how about y'all? Is it mostly used to entertain the rugrats and keep them out of your cooking, or do you actually use yours for the purpose the manufacturers intended?